The user of a manual or self-winding mechanical watch or electronic watch with a mechanical power source, which is not permanently worn, is obliged, when he wishes to use the watch, to perform display updating tasks, which may be tedious as regards the date, or difficult or even impossible as regards complications such as the moon phase or leap years in a perpetual calendar.
There are known watch winder boxes or individual devices which simulate the movements of a user by rotating the watch, generally about several axes, to give the oscillating weight the impulses required for winding, or to turn the crown of a manually wound watch, where permitted by the crown. These winder boxes or devices are often bulky, expensive and may disturb the user as they move. In particular, such winders are not suitable for a commercial environment, where a watch has to be exhibited in a static fashion to clients, with a correct time information display, and also be ready for demonstration.
These winding mechanisms, which are more or less complicated, tend to place too much stress on the mechanical system of the watch. In fact, even when they provide programming of the number of turns to be made for winding, these mechanisms allow for a safety factor, and wind the barrel more than necessary, which results in over-winding of the mainspring, which is dissipated by the slipping spring. Consequently, the entire mechanical system is subjected to higher stresses than necessary. The resulting effects are abnormal wear, and pollution from wear debris, which also impairs the lubrication of the watch, and can require more frequent cleaning and lubrication servicing operations, which represents a not insignificant cost for the user.
Moreover, excessive winding places unnecessary stress on the energy sources, which are sometimes of limited capacity, especially in the case of winding systems that use a battery or solar cells or suchlike.